Beach volleyball player Lauren Fendrick is constantly on the road. So far this year, she and her 2016 Olympic partner Brooke Sweat have competed in eight countries on four continents. So when Fendrick is back home in Southern California, she craves a home-cooked meal.
Her favorite? Cornmeal crusted tilapia with grilled asparagus.
"This is total comfort food for my husband and me," she said. "It blends the best of California: fresh seafood and amazing produce. It's also ridiculously easy. Especially when my husband does all the cooking!"
Her husband, Andrew Fuller, will be at the Rio Olympics, too -- as an assistant coach for the U.S. women's beach volleyball team. If they can find a skillet in Brazil, this would surely be on their menu.
Day and time: Lunch or dinner. I can make this in 15 minutes.
Place: At home in Hermosa Beach, California
What I'm eating: Cornmeal crusted tilapia with grilled asparagus
Whose recipe: Our own! We go rogue with recipes all the time. My husband doesn't seem to know where any of the measuring cups are.
Why I'm eating it: It packs a punch of protein, fats and carbs to fuel me before or after workouts. And we have amazing fresh seafood here in the South Bay of Los Angeles.
The recipe:
Ingredients
(Serves 2 people)
3 tilapia fillets (about 1 pound)
1 pound fresh asparagus
1/4 cup cornmeal
Old Bay seasoning
Red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons sunflower oil
lemon wedges
Coat the fillets in cornmeal and seasoning, then throw it in a skillet with a generous amount of oil. Cook until golden brown and crispy, then pan fry the asparagus in the rest of the cornmeal and seasoning. Drizzle in lemon juice or apple cider vinegar... and voila!